Lasting Legacy: Virginia Heroes Continues to Achieve

In 1991 Arthur Ashe founded Virginia Heroes in his hometown of Richmond. It was created to connect sixth-graders with mentors who came from similar backgrounds to serve as inspiration in their own lives. Ashe believed that age presents particular struggles as well as opportunities for connecting with youth.  Originally the program operated in most public schools throughout the community; now it is only present at Elkhardt Middle School.

However, at Elkhardt the program is thriving: May 28th was Heroes Day, when all of the school’s sixth-graders took a field trip for half the day to meet with adult mentors who volunteer with the program. Throughout the year they had followed a curriculum that addressed emotional and social topics such as character development, life choices, setting goals, building self-esteem and decision-making: important ideas that are not necessarily addressed in the traditional school setting. 

To learn more, read Louis Llovio’s piece about Virginia Heroes and Heroes Day.